Work, work, work
CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF EDUCATION AND WORK – UPDATE 9th NOVEMBER 2009
OUR MANDATE: The Centre for the Study of Education and Work (CSEW) brings together educators from university, union, and community settings to understand and enrich the often-undervalued informal and formal learning of working people. We develop research and teaching programs at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (UofT) that strengthen feminist, anti-racist, labour movement, and working-class perspectives on learning and work.
Our major project is APCOL: Anti-Poverty Community Organizing and Learning. This five-year project (2009-2013), funded by SSHRC-CURA, brings academics and activists together in a collaborative effort to evaluate how organizations approach issues and campaigns and use popular education.
To change your subscription settings, visit http://listserv.oise.utoronto.ca/mailman/listinfo/csewbroadcast
For more information about CSEW, visit: http://www.csew.ca
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EVENTS
FALL COLLOQUIUM: DEVELOPING THE VISION OF SOCIAL CHANGE
Wednesday, November 18
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
OISE Room 5 – 250
252 Bloor St. West, Toronto
With:
Kathryn Church, Associate Professor, School of Disability Studies, Ryerson University. Long-time ally and researcher with disability and mental health communities.
Winnie Ng, OISE doctoral student, well-known Toronto community activist and labour educator. Currently engaged in reimagining anti-racist learning.
What does an agenda for “workplace learning” look like from the perspective of workers with disabilities? From a racial and economic justice perspective?
Join us for these two dynamic presentations, with time for questions. You will also have an opportunity to meet with faculty and students in OISE’s Collaborative Program in Workplace Learning and Social Change.
Light refreshments will be served. For more information on the program, visit: http://aecp.oise.utoronto.ca/ae/programs/collaborative/wlsc.html
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CANADIAN LABOUR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CLIFF) DEBUTS!
November 22-29, 2009
Imagine a world where thousands of films are made about workers and the conditions under which they live, work, fight, and succeed in their daily lives. In just a few days, the Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) will debut in Toronto. All screenings are free!
The launch at the Sheraton Centre at 4 pm on Sunday November 22 (site of the Ontario Federation of Labour convention) will be followed by six evenings at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto.
Hope you can join us for the grand opening on the 22nd – great films, music, speakers! And at the Bloor Cinema from Monday through Saturday. Details of the festival country-wide in dozens of locations Saturday-Sunday November 28-29 are available on the CLIFF website: http://www.labourfilms.ca
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TORONTO SOCIALIST ACTION PRESENTS REBEL FILMS: DR. STRANGELOVE
Friday, November 13
7 p.m.
OISE, 252 Bloor St. West, Room 2-212
St. George Subway Station
Everyone welcome. $4 donation requested.
93 minutes, 1964, B&W. An insane general starts a process towards nuclear holocaust that a war room of politicians and generals frantically try to stop. Stanley Kubrick’s iconic spoof on the arms race makes a powerful case for nuclear disarmament. Science for Peace executive board member Jim Deutsch will speak about the current nuclear arms race, followed by an open discussion.
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RESEARCH FORUM: THE PEOPLE’S RECESSION – ONE YEAR LATER
Social Planning Toronto Research and Policy Forum
Wednesday, November 11
9:30 a.m. – Noon
Lillian H. Smith Library,
239 College Street (just east of Spadina) Room BC
Please join us for our November forum with:
* Armine Yalnizyan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Recession and realcovery: what’s community service got to do with it?
* Beth Wilson, Social Planning Toronto and the Social Planning Network of Ontario – SPNO’s hard hit: impact of the economic downturn on nonprofit community social services in Ontario
* Ann Fitzpatrick, Recession Relief Coalition – Taking action on the people’s recession
All are welcome but space is limited. Register at: http://socialplanningtoronto.org/news/research-forum-the-peoples-recession-one-year-later/
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LUNCHBOX SPEAKERS’ SERIES: NOVEMBER SPEAKERS’ PANEL – YOUTH FOR YOUTH INITIATIVES
Wednesday, November 18
Noon – 1:30 pm
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
University of Toronto
252 Bloor St. West
Toronto, Room 12-199
Speakers:
Hannah Feldberg – will discuss the concept of Me to We as a new kind of social enterprise; one which was first a philosophy and is now a movement carried by dedicated social justice advocates – the youth of today.
Liam O’Doherty – will explore how social media can empower youth organizing and how online, peer-to-peer collaboration is complimentary to traditional methods of activism.
Jeffrey Ma – will talk about why crossing borders can be easier than crossing the street, and the importance of connecting with people of different faiths and values, both internationally and here at home.
Bring your lunch and a mug – coffee, tea and water will be provided.
For more information, contact Lisa White at: secspeaker@oise.utoronto.ca or visit our website at: http://socialeconomy.utoronto.ca
This event will also be webcast live on the Internet. Please see our website at: http://socialeconomy.utoronto.ca/english/webcast.php for detailed instructions.
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GOOD JOBS, STRONG COMMUNITIES! UNITE-HERE CAMPAIGN 2010
Join hundreds of members of Unite Here Local 75 as we celebrate our victories and launch our 2010 multi-city campaign for good jobs and strong communities!
November 10, 2009
5:30: Gather at City Hall for rally, March to Hyatt Regency Hotel
*Pre-rally activities at City Hall, 100 Queen St. W, Toronto
3:30-4:30 Press conference and welcome, Member’s Lounge, City Hall
4:30-5:30 Briefing: Looking back, moving forward. Council Chambers, City Hall
* Hear what the Hotel Workers Rising movement has won in Toronto and North America.
* Learn about the role of hospitality jobs in the road to economic recovery
* Meet members of the “Hyatt 100,” a group of non-union housekeepers from Boston fighting Hyatt’s efforts to outsource their jobs with low-paid agency work
* Learn about the fight for good hospitality jobs in Toronto, 2010.
Hotel Workers Rising: Standing up for good jobs and strong communities.
RSVP: info@uniteherelocal75.org
Find out more: http://www.uniteherelocal75.org, http://www.uniteherecanada.org, or http://www.unitehere.org.
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NEWS & VIEWS
CITY OF TORONTO’S CAPITAL BUDGET – HAVE YOUR SAY!
The City of Toronto’s proposed 2010 capital budget and 10-year plan were presented at the City’s Budget Committee on Tuesday, November 3. Find more details on how you can make a submission, read the analyst’s notes and more on the city website: http://www.toronto.ca/budget2010/.
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NEW STUDY IDENTIFIES PEAK TIMES FOR BRAIN INJURIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
TORONTO, Oct. 6 /CNW/ – August may be the cruellest month for brain injuries in Ontario’s construction industry, but a new study shows October is not far behind.
“We thought it was important to track these injuries month by month,” says Dr. Angela Colantonio, a senior scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and co-author of the study published this week in the journal Brain Injury.
Few academic studies have looked at brain injury among construction workers. Yet the construction industry – with approximately 400,000 workers in Ontario alone – is known to have a high rate of serious brain injury. The new study used data from the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board on 218 cases of non-fatal brain injury which resulted in days off work in 2004-2005.
The authors weren’t surprised to find the highest number of brain injuries in the busy construction month of August, while December had the lowest number. But they didn’t expect to find a second peak of injuries in October. This may reflect a surge in work to complete projects prior to the winter months. Contributing factors, they speculate, could be shorter days to work, less light, and more adverse weather conditions. The authors want to do further study to find out if this seasonal pattern holds for other years.
Their study also begins to raise questions about the time of day when many construction-related brain injuries occur. It identifies two peaks during the day: the hour before and the hours after lunch.
“Most of us know that lethargic feeling that hits just before or after lunch at work: our energy dips, it’s hard to focus but we have a job to finish,” says Dr. Colantonio. Other factors may also be distracting workers in anticipation of, or during, their lunch break – and affecting their attention on the job. “For construction workers, this could have devastating consequences.”
Doug McVittie, study co-author and assistant general manager and director of operations for the Construction Safety Association of Ontario (CSAO), says his group will circulate the findings to construction companies across the province, as well as labour and management health and safety committees. The results will also be shared with CSAO staff members who provide training and safety seminars for construction workers.
For further information: Carolyn Lovas, Media Relations Specialist, Toronto Rehab, (416) 597-3422, ext. 3837, Lovas.Carolyn@torontorehab.on.ca.
To read the study: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699050903036033
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BRIARPATCH MAGAZINE, NOV/DEC 2009: WORK & THE GREEN ECONOMY
The economic crisis has taken a grim toll on working people and on the labour movement. In its wake, can labour activists and environmentalists join forces to build a green economy that works for everyone? This is just one of the many questions we set out to answer in our annual labour issue, which also brings you a report on the sorry state of freelance journalism, a first-hand account of fighting fire in Canada’s Big Wild, an assessment of the prospects for union organizing in tough times, a look at the intersection of neoliberalism and volunteerism in New Orleans, and more.
To subscribe or order a copy of this issue, call 1-866-431-5777 or visit our secure online shop at: http://briarpatchmagazine.com/webstore.
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VIDEO: CF 61 (LOCKED-OUT CADILLAC FAIRVIEW WORKERS) TALK TO THE CROWD AT ST JAMES PARK, TORONTO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8az_8QpfQtI
CF 61 told the crowd how Cadillac Fairview has attacked the workers to avoid employing older workers. Information sheets being circulated talk about the malls to boycott during the 2009 Christmas Shopping season.
The OCAP TD Centre rally supported the 61 locked out and terminated employees of Cadillac Fairview. The CF 61 are represented by CEP Local 2003. Please visit the story of the workers struggle against the bank and their fight for justice here: ‘Solidarity with Toronto Dominion Centre employees under attack’: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104383668872 or visit: http://www.ceplocal2003.org/.
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CANADA/BRAZIL: TELL VALE THAT DIVIDE-AND-CONQUER WON’T WORK
Since being privatized in 1997, the global mining giant Vale has unleashed a vicious attack on workers. The company undermined health and safety standards in Brazil and now it’s set its sights on Canada. In 2009 negotiations with the United Steelworkers (USW), Vale claimed it needed deep concessions – despite making over $13 billion (USD) in 2008 net profits. The company’s strategy is to divide and conquer by undermining seniority and providing lesser benefits to new employees. 3,500 members of the USW rejected Vale’s demands and went on strike in mid-July. Vale has since announced it will hire replacement workers and force other union members to do the work of the striking miners. Meanwhile Vale workers throughout Brazil are struggling to hold on to jobs, earn a living wage, achieve minimum standards for safe working conditions, and guarantee basic labor rights. Vale employees and their unions in Brazil and Canada are fighting back together,
reaching out to workers in a global campaign for fair treatment at Vale.
To read more, click here: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=595
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PAY BONANZA CONTINUES FOR BANKERS
By Linda McQuaig – Source: rabble.ca
Some people were outraged last week by a report that a member of the kitchen staff of bailed-out Wall Street firm AIG had received a $7,700 bonus.
Surely that was far less outrageous than the million-dollar bonuses paid to others at AIG who actually carried out the firm’s financial business.
After all, the kitchen helper produced something that at least could be eaten. Apart from perhaps overcooking the Chateaubriand or leaving spots on the champagne glasses, what harm could the kitchen helper have done — compared to driving the world economy over a cliff?
To read more: http://rabble.ca/columnists/2009/10/pay-bonanza-continues-bankers
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JOB POSTINGS
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, SOCIAL PLANNING TORONTO (SPT)
Social Planning Toronto (SPT) is a non-profit community organization committed to independent social planning at the local and city-wide levels. We work to improve the quality of life for all people in Toronto through community capacity building, community education and advocacy, policy research and analysis, and social reporting.
SPT has a full-time Communications Officer position available. This position will be of interest to individuals who have a proven track record working in the area of communications focused on community development and action.
This position encompasses the development and implementation of the overall communications, public relations and media strategies of SPT.
Responsibilities include:
* Develop and implement internal and external communication strategies/policies;
* Prepare SPT annual communications plan;
* Design, edit and disseminate all SPT publications, print and promotional materials (e.g. reports, newsletters, journals, periodic publications, brochures, written and electronic bulletins, flyers, press releases, etc.);
* Manage information on the SPT website (using a popular content management platform) including all content both textual and visual;
* Write and develop press releases, articles, speeches, media advisories, media kits, and cultivate media relations;
* Supervise placement students and volunteers as appropriate.
Application deadline is November 22. For a complete copy of the job description and application info visit: http://socialplanningtoronto.org/news/position-opening-communications-officer/
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VOLUNTEER WITH CLIFF- CANADA’S ONLY NATIONAL LABOUR FILM FEST!
The Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) is now accepting volunteer applicants to help out with our inaugural festival. Our not-for-profit festival celebrates films about workers, for workers and by workers.
Volunteers can be involved in many aspects of the festival from suggesting recent films for inclusion to helping throw media-related events like the one we are planning for Labour Day! As our festival launch draws closer we will also need people to help distribute leaflets, assemble media kits, as well as helping manage other volunteers. During the festival itself we’ll also need help taking tickets and individuals to act us ushers. There’s a place for everyone.
Upon request, volunteers will receive a letter reflecting their commitment and involvement in the festival. Don’t pass up this unique opportunity to see the inner workings of a festival in its first year!
All volunteers should be: 18 years of age or older willing to attend a mandatory volunteer orientation session, committed, friendly, team players.
The festival launches November 22nd in Toronto and runs until November 29th. It launches country-wide November 28th. We will be holding volunteer orientations sessions in August through the start of November.
Please e-mail us at: festival@labourfilms.ca with the word “Volunteer” in the subject line.
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PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, CANADA WORLD YOUTH
Type: Definite term contract, part-time: 17.5 hours/week
Organization: Canada World Youth http://www.cwy-jcm.org
Location: Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, Canada
Main responsibilities: In keeping with Canada World Youth’s policies,
* Plan and support program activities.
* Provide direct administrative and logistical support to the programs.
* Ensure effective communications between the various constituencies of the programs.
* Liaise with volunteers participating in team support activities.
* Perform a number of accounting functions.
* Ensure the layout and production of training and/or information tools.
* Revise and maintain up-dated program-related information systems.
* Write various letters, reports and other documents.
Application deadline is November 10. For the complete job description and application info visit: http://www.planetfriendly.net/gwd.php?id=9594
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JOURNAL ARTICLES
Cities and the making of modern Europe
Friedrich Lenger
Journal of Urban History published 14 October 2009, 10.1177/0096144209349891
http://juh.sagepub.com/cgi/rapidpdf/0096144209349891v1
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Grounding the regime of precarious employment: Homeless day laborers’ negotiation of the job queue
Damian T. Williams
Work and Occupations 2009;36 209-246
http://wox.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/36/3/209
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“The worse you behave, the more you seem to be rewarded”: Bullying in nursing as organizational corruption
Marie Hutchinson, Margaret H. Vickers, Lesley Wilkes, Debra Jackson
Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Volume 21, Number 3 / September 2009
http://www.springerlink.com/content/dt2532t401756817/
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Social inequality, lifestyles and health – a non-linear canonical correlation analysis based on the approach of Pierre Bourdieu
Kirstin Grosse Frie, Christian Janssen
International Journal of Public Health
http://www.springerlink.com/content/u5783l3785780r34/
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Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
